In Between Review: An Astonishing 2D Platformer

Game Reviewed: In Between

Release Date: June 2016 (For Xbox One)

Developer: Gentlymad

Publisher: Headup Games

Platform: [Reviewed:Xbox One] and PC

Genre: Puzzle Platformer

Rated: E10+ For Everyone 10+

Gentlymad deserves quite a bit of recognition for the amazing work they’ve placed into their latest title In Between. The game is extremely dark coinciding with a very unique play style that stretches your mind far beyond one would imagine.

In the game In Between you’re a man with everything to lose as life is slowly coming to an end. With your character sadly dying from lung cancer the story takes you back through his life and his deepest memories which consisted of fear, depression, anger and more.

In Between’s story reveals itself as you complete various puzzles and it is here where the gameplay becomes quite interesting. This platformer delivers some of the most intense, mind-bending puzzles available to date. Gentlymad utilizes gravity mechanics to assist the character in achieving each platform.

Gravity plays a huge role in In Between as you unable to simply jump to overcome obstacles. Instead you can defy the laws of gravity and leap in one direction. There were so many times I tried to alter the protagonist in hopes of turning or shifting with no luck.

There are so many platform titles available from Braid, Limbo and even the forthcoming Song of the Deep. But with In Between players will find themselves metaphorically in a game of chess, studying each move carefully and weighing the consequences. Expect to die a significant amount of times in this parallel world as you transition to the inevitable.

There are various spikes and contraptions throughout every stage that may have shifting abilities to keep you from simply jumping over and walking through. It’s even more challenging as you deal with fear which sends darkness to cloud over you or anger which can instantly obliterate you.  Facing the darkness and avoiding anger is easier said than done!

Narrator Jay Tuck does a great job with the voice-over as the story unveils in unique manner. Rather than simple cutscences, In Between continues to drive the character backstory through certain tears in the wall; memories tying in between childhood, marriage and more.

The only setback in In Between is the lack of checkpoints. As aforementioned In Between will at times challenge you in more ways than one, but when you complete one tough obstacle only to die shortly after you may find yourself wishing the game allowed more saving opportunities.